Lullaby for the Princesses
by Silent Spirit 17
Summary: Princess Luna has finally been freed and returned to her sister's side. It'll take some time for Luna to recover, but right now, all they need is each other. (Song fic based on "Lullaby for a Princess")
1. A New Lullaby

After 1,000 painful years of solitude and loneliness, the royal sisters were finally united to rule together, as they should've been from the start. Thanks to Twilight Sparkle, Celestia's most faithful student, and Twilight's newfound friends, the royal sisters could finally begin their reign together.

 _Fate had been cruel and order unkind_

 _But you have returned to stay_

As thanks, Celestia permitted Twilight to remain in Ponyville. It was a small favor in comparison to having her sister by her side. Of course, she wasn't ignorant and she knew Luna was going to need time. Luna had only smiled once since she returned, which was after a few ponies had given her a rose garland. And Celestia was fine with that. She was willing to give her sister all the time she needed.

 _The blame was my own; the punishment, yours_

 _But finally, it's over today_

As they returned to the castle, Celestia quietly led Luna along as the latter still stared at the ground. She hadn't spoken a word since her apology. Celestia remembered her mistake a millennium ago, not noticing Luna's despair until it was too late. Luna may have accepted her friendship, but that didn't mean Celestia could pretend there was nothing to amend.

 _But into the stillness, I'll bring you a song_

 _And I will your company keep_

Celestia led Luna to her bedroom. Her heart silently screamed with joy this room would no longer be sorrowfully empty. Luna didn't smile, but she did gaze around at the familiarity. Over the course of her imprisonment, she had forgotten what this room looked like, but seeing it again immediately jogged her memory. Naturally, it was very much outdated now, but she didn't care. A little more interesting detail she noticed is it was spotless, and she realized Celestia must've kept it clean for her all that time.

However, after her admiration of her old room, she slowly lowered her head and gazed beneath her once more. Celestia nuzzled her and gently lifted her head up, and she gave her older sister a questioning look.

"Are you tired, dear sister?" Celestia asked. Luna stared at her bed for a moment, back at Celestia, and nodded.

 _Till your tired eyes and my lullabies_

 _Have carried you softly to sleep_

Luna stepped out of her shoes and climbed into her old bed. Its feel stunned her at first, but she quickly settled herself into it. It scared her how she'd forgotten such small things like the feel of comfort and the look of her room, but it was to be expected. Celestia pulled the cover over her, just as she'd do so long ago before heading out for her daily royal duties.

Yet, Luna seemed like she couldn't sleep. Her eyes wouldn't close. She fidgeted around a little, but discomfort wasn't the problem.

Were Luna not unhappy at the moment, Celestia could've smiled. This was like a millennium ago. Back then, Luna also had occasional trouble falling asleep. That was when Celestia would...

 _"Once did a pony who shone like the sun_

 _Look out on her kingdom and sigh"_

Luna relaxed again and listened, surprised for a moment as she watched her sister. That song. How was it so familiar? Where and when did she hear it?

 _"She smiled and said, "Surely, there is no pony_

 _So lovely and so well beloved as I"_

Celestia paused and rested on her knees at Luna's bed. Luna moved a little closer to her, and looked at her intently. Celestia was shocked for a small moment, but quickly smiled before she continued.

 _"So great was her reign and so brilliant her glory_

 _That long was the shadow she cast"_

Luna felt herself becoming more drowsy. She felt like her eyes might close.

 _"Which fell dark upon the young sister she loved_

 _And grew only darker as days and nights passed"_

But not yet. No, not yet. She wanted to hear.

 _"Soon did that pony take notice that others_

 _Did not give her sister their due_

 _And neither had she loved her as she deserved"_

Luna sat up on her knees at that part. Celestia's face was somber and her voice had a hint of the same.

 _"She watched as her sister's unhappiness grew"_

Luna began to remember. She knew when this song was from. But she'd always thought it was all in her head, that she was only hearing things.

 _"But such is the way of the limelight, it sweetly_

 _Takes hold of the mind of its host"_

This is when Celestia looked like she could begin crying.

 _"And that foolish pony did nothing to stop_

 _The destruction of the one who had needed her most"_

Luna remained seated and still, listening, but slowly beginning to fight the same urge.

 _"Lullay moon princess, good night sister mine_

 _Rest now in moonlight's embrace_

 _Bear up my lullaby, winds of the earth_

 _Through cloud, and through sky, and through space"_

But the threatening tears were restrained for a little longer when Celestia saw Luna smile. And she smiled brightly.

 _"Carry the peace and the coolness of night_

 _And carry my sorrow in kind_

 _Luna, you're loved so much more than you know"_

Luna jumped off her bed and hugged her sister as the happy tears broke loose.

 _"May troubles be far from your mind_

 _And forgive me for being so blind"_

"I do," Luna whispered.

Celestia's own tears now broke loose. She held her sister tightly, and neither was letting go soon.

 _"The years now behind us_

 _Lonely, but now the past_

 _I never imagined_

 _This long I could last"_

Luna understood. She knew. She felt it. And she couldn't have smiled more brightly if she tried.

 _"May these thousand winters_

 _Swiftly pass, I prayed_

 _I love you"_

Luna: _"I missed you"_

Both: _"All those miles away"_

Celestia helped Luna climb back into her bed and pulled the cover over her once more. The tears from both ponies had ceased, leaving only soft smiles between them.

Celestia: _"May all your dreams be sweet tonight"_

Luna: _"Safe upon my bed in my sister's light"_

Luna pulled Celestia into her bed, and snuggled into her sister's embrace again as much as possible.

Celestia: _"And know not of sadness, pain, or care"_

Luna: _"And when I dream, I'll fly away and meet you in daylight there"_

Both: _"Sleep... sleep... dream..."_


	2. Luna's Nightmare

It was cold. The temperature almost felt freezing. And it was so dark. The stars were little help in illuminating the surroundings. Despite the millions of them, they only provided enough light to see a few feet ahead.

It was so eerie, yet so familiar. She couldn't be. No, she wouldn't be sent back. She was freed. She wasn't _that_ pony anymore. No, her sister wouldn't send her back.

Had it been a dream? Had she never really escaped? Was she truly here for an eternity?

Then, she heard it. That laugh. That evil, menancing laugh. But it wasn't from her. It was... something else. Right in front of her.

"No," she whimpered, backing away. "No. You... you don't exist anymore."

"Foolish pony! Did you really think your sister's little friends could defeat _us_?"

"No. No! There's no us!" the young pony meekly argued, fearful tears streaming down her face. "You're not part of me anymore!"

"I will always be a part of you!" The menancing mare came within inches of the young pony's frightened face. "And you will never get rid of me."

No! It couldn't be true! It couldn't! The young pony ran away, but she couldn't escape. The cold darkness was endless.

"Sister! Sister, please! I am so sorry!" she yelled through pained tears. "Please take me back! Please let me come home! _Please save me_!"

She stopped running as the Earth came within her sight in the distance. Just like that, her legs became jelly and she wobbled as she fell to her knees. It was true. She was on the moon again. "No..." Her tears became heavier and all her fear was replaced with pain. "No... why? Why...? CELESTIA!"

Luna threw herself up, having scared herself awake, crying hysterically as her body trembled beyond her control. She began to choke and struggle to breathe from crying so hard. Though she was now fully awake, she didn't open her eyes until another voice touched her ears. A much gentler one.

"Luna, I'm next to you. You're with me. Take it easy. You're going to vomit."

Luna slowly opened her eyes. Neither her crying, hyperventilating, or her trembling ceased, but she could see her big sister above her and it only took a moment for her to realize she was being firmly held in an embrace. Quickly, she held on to the older pony, as if for protection of some sort, while she rode out the remainder of her night terror's effect.

Minutes later, Luna could finally settle down. Her crying came to a full halt, leaving only some tears, and her body rested still. It didn't mean she could return to sleep, however, and she didn't. She couldn't right now, even if she wanted to.

"Come with me, little sister," Celestia whispered, keeping her tone low in case Luna was still frightened. Luna followed along, not uttering a sound. They went into the kitchen, and Celestia had Luna wait aside while she gathered some ingredients and utensils to cook with. By now, Luna was fully aware she'd had a nightmare and it was nothing more than that, but it didn't stop her from eying every movement Celestia made, as if she somehow couldn't trust her own perception at the moment.

Celestia knew Luna was eying her, but she said nothing and continued cooking like she didn't notice. Luna's return had only been of two nights now. She was still healing, so if eying Celestia calmed her, Celestia wasn't going to object.

It took about thirty minutes for all the food to finish. Luna sat herself at the table while Celestia served her enough food for two meals. Surprised, she looked to her sister with her tired face that Celestia could somehow see wanted an answer.

"Because you haven't eaten anything since you returned. There's no way I can believe you aren't hungry."

She wasn't wrong, but hunger and appetite were two different things. The part Celestia left out is she was worried about Luna slipping into depression again, if she didn't already have it, but she was trying not to give her pressure about anything.

Luna did eventually decide to eat, though it was more out of not wanting her sister's cooking to go to waste than finally wanting to. Celestia couldn't have cared less. She just wanted her to eat. Really, she could've asked for more and Celestia would've made it for her. It felt awkward to sit in silence, but she didn't move until every bit of what she cooked had entered Luna's mouth. She left the dishes to tend to afterwards, but first, she walked Luna back to bed. Luna did get in bed, but she was not going back to sleep. Not after that dream. Merely thinking about it made her feel afraid.

"Sister?"

She rolled on her side and looked at Celestia.

"You know you can talk to me, right?"

Luna nodded, though she seemed to hesitate for a moment before she did.

"We'll always be together from now on. Don't worry."

"...Always?" Luna mumbled so softly, Celestia could hardly hear it.

She nodded. "Always. I lost you once and - look at me - I will _never_ again let you go."

Luna managed a small, brief smile. She confessed about the nightmare and why she woke up screaming. Celestia had guessed earlier and she wasn't really glad she was right. She explained to Luna she'd actually started screaming in her sleep a while before she woke up. Celestia ran in right when she started begging to come home.

"My heart snapped in two when I heard you talking like that," Celestia admitted. "If you think I'm angry, you're wrong. I'm not. All that matters to me is my precious sister is home again."

Luna finally relaxed, although still not enough to sleep again. Celestia fixed that when she offered to sing to her again. Luna said okay, if Celestia sang a different lullaby.

"Which one would you like?"

"Hmm... _Come, Little Children_."

That was an interesting choice, but Luna had always enjoyed eerily cheerful songs. It made her happy Luna was still the same in some ways.

"How about _Come, Little Luna_?"

"How does that one go?"

 _"Come, little Luna_

 _I'll take us away_

 _Into a land_

 _Of enchantment"_

 _"Come, little Luna_

 _The time's come to play_

 _Here in our garden_

 _Of moonlight"_

Luna giggled a small bit at her sister's improvisation of the song, but it was working. Her eyes were slowly on their way to closing. She remembered she used to playfully chastise herself for still liking lullabies when she was no longer a filly. But Celestia had never made her feel bad about it. It was the only thing they shared a bond over after becoming Equestria's rulers left them little time for each other.

 _"Follow, sweet Luna_

 _I'll show thee the way_

 _Away from the past_

 _And the heartache"_

 _"Weep not, dear Luna_

 _For life's not this way_

 _We'll bring forth beauty_

 _And passions"_

Luna couldn't fight sleep long enough to hear the rest. She fell asleep and Celestia could see she was a lot more peaceful this time. She pulled her blanket over and quietly walked out, so as not to wake her. She had missed her sister immensely over the last 1,000 years, but she hadn't realized just how much she missed small things like helping Luna sleep until she had the chance again.

This time, she wasn't going to waste them.


End file.
